Fearless
by HopeAndFaithAndCharity
Summary: Assignment One Term 2 for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry forum. Evangeline Simmons and the gang are heading for Sirius. Can they all survive?


_Ready for a showdown, and we're face to face_

_I think I'll rearrange it, put you in your place_

_Fearless _by Olivia Holt (_Girl vs Monster_ soundtrack)

* * *

><p>"How are we getting there, then?" Harry asked us all. I looked at Harry and Hermione, who were covered in blood. I remembered the time when I encountered Luna in the forest feeding the thestrals. They're attracted to blood. I am about to suggest this when Luna speaks up.<p>

"We'll fly, of course," she says. Ron gives her a Look.

"Oh, and I suppose those Kacky-Horned Snufflerks can fly?" he asks her. She shakes her head.

"No," she says. "The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly, but _they_ can, and they're very good at finding places their riders want to go."

I look over to where Luna's looking, and see that two thestrals have already arrived. Harry notices them as well, and so does Neville. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, however, cannot see them apparently.

"It's those freaky horse things, isn't it?" he asks. "Those things you can only see if you've watched someone snuff it?"

"Very eloquent, Ron," I say. "But yes, there's two thestrals there. I think that's our way to the Ministry to get Sirius."

"Right," Harry says. "So… Evangeline and I'll take these two, and Hermione can stay and attract more for the rest of you."

"I'm not staying here," Hermione says. "I can't even see them!"

"That won't be necessary," Luna says. "There's some more. You two must really smell."

Indeed, there are almost ten thestrals in the clearing now. Harry sighs, his attempt at trying to keep the others safe failed.

"Fine," he snaps. "Grab one and get on."

Luna hops onto a thestral and sits sidesaddle, and Neville clumsily gets on one. Harry is already on one of them. The others look anxious, and I remember they can't see them.

"Here," I say, helping Ginny to a thestral. Luna gets off hers and helps Hermione, and Harry guides Neville.

Once we all have a thestral, we take off. It's an exhilarating feeling, being on a thestral, but different than being on a broom. With a broom, you are in control of things, but on a thestral, you just have to trust it. I can't imagine how the others feel, being in the middle of the sky with no visible support.

After about an hour of riding, we land in front of the visitor's entrance to the Ministry. Ron immediately slides off, gasping. "Never again!" he exclaims. "Terrible…"

Hermione and Ginny aren't much more graceful in their dismount, nor is Neville. Harry just jumps off, falling on the ground. I slide off and land on my feet, and Luna jumps off, landing feet first and then doing a little pirouette.

Harry gives his thestral a pat, and then we all cram into the telephone booth.

"Whoever's closer to the receiver, dial 2-3-4-9-2-8," Harry says. Hermione is the closest, so she dials.

"Visitor to the Ministry, please state your name and business," a cool female voice says.

"Harry Potter, Evangeline Simmons, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley," Harry says, rushing his words. "Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom. We're here to save someone, unless your Ministry can do it first!"

A series of badges slide into the coin return. Ginny grabs them and passes them around. I read mine.

Evangeline Simmons

Rescue Mission

"Visitor to the Ministry, please pin your badge on the front of your robes where they can be plainly seen. You are required to present your wand for identification, which can be done at the far end of the Atrium."

"All right," Harry says. "Can we get on with it!"

The telephone booth begins to move, descendng into the depths of the Ministry. When it stops, we all pile off.

"It's near Courtroom Ten," Harry reminds us. "The area near that looked exactly the same in my dream."

We all follow him to where the Department of Mysteries is supposed to be. We enter a door, and it's a circular chamber.

Before we could do anything, the walls began spinning. The torches of blue flame on the walls turned into a blurred ring around the room.

Finally it stopped.

"Why did it do that?" Ginny asks. Harry shrugs.

"I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in through," Hermione says. "We should just keep trying doors."

Neville reached for the one right in front of him. There was some kind of glowing tank at the far end of the room, with something floating in it. I didn't want to find out what it was. Luna was about to close the door when Hermione stopped her.

"Don't close it yet!" she said. She drew her wand, and said, "_Flagrate!" _ Her wand tip looked to bee submerged in fire. She drew a fiery X on the door. Luna closed the door.

Again the room spun, but this time, a blur of red was amid the blue. When it stopped, the X was still on the door we tried.

"Good thinking, Hermione," I praise. I reach to try another door, and it's obvious that it's not the one we're looking for either. It's brightly lit, and there are a bunch of stone steps. It actually looks like the courtroom, but instead of a chair, there is a stone archway with a tattered black veil over it. I can hear whispering voices just on the other side, even though I know there's nothing there. I can't really tell what they're saying.

I am drawn to it. I don't know why, but I am. I hurry down the steps behind Harry, who has begun to be interested in the archway as well.

"What is that?" he murmurs.

"What's what?" Hermione asks. "Nothing is going on."

"Voices," he says. "They're coming from behind the archway."

"I hear them too," Luna says. "I wonder what they're saying."

"I don't know," I say. "But you're not mad, Harry. I can hear it as well."

"There's nothing there," Hermione says desperately. "Harry, we're supposed to be looking for Sirius!"

"Let's _go,_" Ginny says, grabbing me. When she touches me, I can't hear the voices anymore. I don't know why, but I let her pull me back up the seats and to the circular room again. Hermione marks the door, and the walls spin again, the orange brighter.

Harry chooses a door this time.

"_This is it!" _he exclaims. "Come on!"

There are hundreds of glittery things in it, I don't know what they are. At the end, there's a bird in a glass cage. Ginny goes to look closer at it. Mysteriously, the bird starts to shrink, losing it's feathers, until we are looking at an egg. It does it again, turning back into a bird, then back to the egg. It's grotesque, but I can't look away. Neither can Ginny.

"Come on," he says. "Let's look for Sirius."

"You dawdled enough back at that old arch," she grumbles, but follows Harry and the rest of us through the room.

"Where are they supposed to be?" I ask. I'm surprised that it's so silent, because I expected to hear screams of pain.

"Row ninety-seven," Harry answers. So he felt the same way I did. Make as little noise as possible. We all had our wands drawn, ready for anything that could happen.

"What are these things?" Ron wonders. He reaches to touch one, but I stop him. "Hey, what was that for Evangeline?"

"You don't know what it is," I say. He sighs and moves on.

Finally, we reach row ninety-seven. And there's nothing there. I don't know what I expected, really.

"Where is he?" Harry says frantically. "He's supposed to be here."

"Harry-" Hermione starts.

"D'you think they've moved?" he continues.

"Harry!" I exclaim. "Let Hermione get a word in edgewise."

"Thanks, Evangeline," Hermione says. "What I was trying to say is what if he was never here. What if you've-we've- been tricked?"

"No," he says. "He's not here. How?"

"Harry," Neville says. "C'mere!"

"What is it?" Harry asks, exasperated. Neville is pointing to one of the glowing orbs.

"It's got your name on it," Neville says. "Dunno why. And there's one next to it for Evangeline!"

"Why are our names down here?" Harry wonders. I'm wondering the exact same thing myself. I walk towards Neville, to see that the orb he indicated did have my name.

PTW to STS

Harry Potter(?) and

(?)Evangeline Simmons.

I dunno why there's a prophecy about me here, but the next second there is a voice in my head. It's not my own, I know that. It's a girl's voice, maybe eleven or twelve years old.

_She, the one who knows all, can help him._

_The child destined to defeat the Dark One and she._

_On the equinox, it shall come to pass_

_But only with the help of this little lass_

_But, be warned, and don't say I didn't_

_This is her job, and no one else's_

_Should anyone try and take her place_

_The Chosen One will not succeed in his quest_

"Did anyone else hear that?" I ask. They all shake their heads.

"Let's go," Hermione says. "There's no reason-"

I notice that Harry has the orb with his prophecy in his hand. I stuff mine in my jacket pocket.

"Not so fast," a drawling voice says. A familiar voice. "Give me that prophecy, Mr. Potter, and no one need get hurt."

I recognize who it is finally. Lucius Malfoy, the one responsible for the events of my second year, Draco Malfoy's father, and loyal Death Eater.

"To me, Mr. Potter."

"You get any closer to us, I'll break it," Harry says. A high, cackling voice resonates from beside him. A woman stands beside Lucius with tangled black hair, heavily lidded eyes, and a crazed expression. Bellatrix Lestrange, the woman who tortured Neville's parents.

"He knows how to play!" she exclaims. "Itty bitty baby Potter!"

"Where's Sirius?" I ask. "Where has he been taken?"

"The wittle baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was twoo!" Bellatrix cackled. Neville tensed behind me.

"Bellatrix Lestrange…" he trailed, louder than I'd heard him speak in a long time.

"Neville Longbottom, is it?" she asks. "How's Mum and Dad?"

"Better, now they're about to be avenged!" Neville exclaims. He points his wand at the witch, and she does the same. Lucius puts a hand in front of Bellatrix to stop her.

"Lets everyone just… calm down," he says. I pull Neville's hand down. "All we want is that prophecy."

"Why does Voldemort need me to get it?" Harry asks. He's getting anxious, I can tell.

"You dare speak his name?" Bellatrix demanded. "You dare besmirch it with your half-blood tongue?!"

"Voldemort's a half-blood too," I say. "Or has he been telling you lot he's pureblood?"

"Shut your mouth!" she yells.

"Calm down, Bella, they're only curious children. Prophecies can only be retrieved by those whom the prophecy speaks of. Haven't you always wondered why there is that mysterious connection between yourself and the Dark Lord? Why he was not able to kill you fourteen years ago? The secret of your scar? Just give me the prophecy."

"No," Harry says.

"Very well," Lucius says. "Grab her! The small one! We'll see what he says when we torture her."

I look around to see other Death Eaters advanding. The ones advancing towards Ginny grab her and force her to Lucius, who grabs her and points his wand at his chest. "Now, give me the prophecy."

"No!" Ginny exclaims. "Harry, don't, I'm not worth it!"

"Like hell, you aren't," I say. "_Stingo_!" The jinx sails right between Lucius and Ginny, and it shocks him enough that Ginny can run to us. She hugs me, and Harry points his wand at Lucius.

"Don't," I whisper to Harry. "Don't trust him."

"I've waited fourteen years," Harry muses.

"I know…" Lucius begins before Harry finishes.

"I guess I can wait a little longer," Harry ends. "_Now_!"

"_Stupefy_!" Each of us says the spell, hitting a Death Eater. Then we run. We run out the door we came through and open another door before the hall has time to spin. I realize we're in the arch room again. Our X's must have faded so we didn't know which rooms to not enter. I look up to see swirling black. Death Eaters.

"Behind me," Harry tells the others. We all make a pack behind Harry. The Brainiac, the Best Friend, the Shy, the Dreamer, the Fierce, the Leader, and me. I didn't think about that for long, though, The black clouds swirled around us. I felt arms grab me, almost choking me. When the smoke cleared, I was being held up by someone… I didn't know who. He was sort of hyperventilating, and his mouth was too close to my neck for comfort. My heaart began to race when I realized who it was. Fenrir Greyback, the man who had bitten Remus Lupin and turned him into a werewolf.

"I'll make this easy," Lucius says, walking up to Harry. He's the only one of us who didn't get captured. "Give me the prophecy _now, _or watch your pathetic friends die. Starting with _lovely _little Evangeline."

Harry stands there, unsure what to do.

"Don't give it to him, Harry!" Neville exclaims. Bellatrix, who has him in a chokehold, presses her wand further onto his head.

Defeated, Harry hands Lucius the prophecy. He holds it up, examining it.

I hear a whoosh, and then someone who I wasn't expecting to see says, "Get away from my godson."

Sirius punches Lucius right in the jaw. A second later, more Order members appear: Tonks, Kingsley, Mad-Eye, Lupin, and others. The Death Eaters let us go, and start firing spells.

"C'mon, Evangeline," Tonks says. She grabs me and pulls me off the dais just in time to avoid being hit by a Stunning spell. She grabs Luna with her other hand as we pass her.

"Go find Sirius," she tells me. "Good luck."

I hurry around the dais, finally reaching Harry and Sirius.

"Evangeline!" Harry exclaims. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," I say. "Greyback's bark's worse than his bite."

"Greyback had you?" Sirius asks. I nod.

"I'm fine, really," I say. "We should help the others."

"I want you to get the others and then get out of here," Sirius says.

"No," Harry says. "I want to fight."

"Me too," I say.

"You've done beautifully," Sirius assures us. "Let us take it from here."

"Black!" Lucius exclaims. He seems to have recovered from Sirius' punch. Sirius grabs his wand and they begin to duel.

"Let's go," I say. "We have help him!"

I get out my wand and throw the first curse that comes to mind. "_Impedimenta_!" It misses him by an inch, but he is shocked. Harry throws a Disarming Jinx straight at Lucius.

"Nice one, James!" Sirius exclaims. Harry grins. Sirius hits Lucius with a jinx that sends him flying off the dais.

"_Expelliarmus_!" she yells. The spell hits Sirius in the chest. His wand goes flying, and he falls… through the archway.

"Sirius!" I exclaim. "Sirius, no!"

"You can't help him, Harry," Lupin says. He has his arms wrapped around Harry to keep him from following Sirius. "You can't help him, he's-"

"HE IS NOT DEAD!" Harry yells. "Sirius!"

I hear Bellatrix cackling as she makes her excape. Harry wrenches himself out of Lupin's grasp and races after her.

"I'll get him," I say to Lupin. "Keep the others safe."

With that, I race after Harry and Bellatrix. She's taunting Harry, yelling, "_I killed Sirius Black! You coming to get me?"_

"_Crucio!" _Harry yells. It hits her, but it must not have been powerful enough. She is knocked down. When she sits up, she's no longer laughing.

"Never casted an Unforgivable Curse before, eh, Potter?" she asks. "You've got to mean it! You've got to want to cause the pain."

"Harry, no!" I exclaim. "She's not worth it!"

Instead of his answer, I hear a whoosh and some indistinctive hissing. Harry's head twitches. Voldemort appears behind Harry, and then he disarms Harry.

"You're so… weak," Voldemort sneers.

"We're not weak," I say. "You're weak."

"Evangeline Simmons," Voldemort studies me. "I heard how pathetic you were, but I never thought I'd have the pleasure to witness it."

"You were foolish to come here tonight, Tom," a deep, familiar voice booms. I look over at the Floo fireplaces to see Albus Dumbledore himself. "The Aurors are on their way."

"By which time, I shall be gone," Voldemort says. "And you shall be dead."

Voldemort readies to fire a spell, and Dumbledore retaliates. Their spells meet in midair, crackling with electricity. I cast a Sheild Spell over Harry and I, but I knew it wouldn't last long.

Voldemort stopped his spell, and then breathed to life a snake made of pure fire. Dumbledore managed to manipulate it, and destroyed it. Then he encircled Voldemort in an orb of water. Voldemort managed to break free. He held his hands together like he was praying or something. I could feel all the energy being drained from the room. Voldemort released it with an animal roar. Everything broke. Then he held his hands above his head, and the shards of glass soared towards us.

My Sheild Spell had worn out, but Dumbledore managed to repel them. When next we looked up, Voldemort had vanished. Not a trace. I felt the room get colder by about ten degrees.

Then Harry groaned and fell to the floor. I didn't know what was happening.

"You've lost, old man," Harry said harshly. I knew it wasn't him.

"What's happening to him, professor?" I ask anxiously.

"Voldemort is attempting to take control of him," Dumbledore said gravely. I set my teeth and walked over to Harry, who was writhing on the floor in pain. I grabbed him by his head.

"Get. Out. Of. Him," I said. "You're just a coward. Fight your own battles."

"Silly girl," Voldemort said through Harry. "He's mine now."

"No," I say. "He's not. You might can control him, but you don't own him. You never have."

"I have controlled his whole life," Voldemort says. "I have made him who he is."

"That's not true," I reply. "He could have been bitter and angry. I have made him who he is today. Me and our friends and family. Not you."

"He is no challenge," Voldemort says. "Nor is your _dear_ Headmaster Dumbledore."

"You want a challenge?" I say, steeling myself. "Try me."

"You will be no challenge."

The next moment, I feel a searing pain in my head. The next second, however, there was nothing. I was right, he couldn't get to me. Voldemort reappears about ten feet from us.

"You think you're so intelligent," Voldemort sneers. "You wouldn't last in a real duel."

"Wanna bet?" I ask. "Try me."

"Evangeline, no!" Harry says. He seems to have recovered from being controlled. Dumbledore holds him back.

"This is Evangeline's fight," he says. "Do not interfere."

"Let us begin," Voldemort says. He sweeps me an overexaggerated bow. I nod my head. Then the battle begins. Voldemort sends a jet of golden light towards me. I don't know what it'll do, but I don't want it to touch me.

"_Tarantallegra_!" I yell frantically. The gray-blue light collides with his golden spell. I hold it until Voldemort breaks.

"_Crucio," _Voldemort says. This spell I am not fast enough to block, and next I am writing on the floor in pain. My vision is tinted red, and I feel as if I've been submerged in acid, run over by a dump truck, and being burned at the stake all at once. After a minute, it stops. I stagger to my feet and cast the first spell I think of.

"_Diffindo_!" I say. It hits his face, giving him a good sized cut on his cheek.

"Evangeline!" Harry says. "Look!"

I look over to where he indicates. I see Fudge and a whole crowd there in front of us. Voldemort disappears, leaving Harry, Dumbledore, and the others, who must have arrived sometime during my battle.

"He's back!" Fudge exclaims. "He's back! I saw him!"


End file.
